State’s new poet laureate hopes to bring poetry to many (via The Columbian)

Washington’s new poet laureate begins his two-year stint on Feb. 1 with hopes of bringing poetry to as many different audiences as possible.

Tod Marshall, who was appointed by Gov. Jay Inslee, is the first Eastern Washington resident to serve as poet laureate.

Marshall is a poet and English professor at Gonzaga University in Spokane. He’ll replace Elizabeth Austen as the state’s fourth poet laureate.

He tells The Spokesman-Review he sees his role as helping to bridge different communities and bring everyone to the arts. He will travel across the state to hold readings and workshops, and help produce a book of Washington poems.